Written Answers Tuesday 1 December 2009

Scottish Executive

2014 Commonwealth Games

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has contributed to the cost of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has contributed £8,202,332 towards the cost of staging the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The overall contribution, at 2007 prices, will be £275.8 million plus a £20 million reserve to be held in case of exceptional circumstances.

2014 Commonwealth Games

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much its estimated total contribution will be to the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Shona Robison: On 16 November 2009, the Glasgow 2014 organising committee announced that the games budget would increase to £453.6 million. As a consequence, the total contribution from the Scottish Government over the period from 2007-08 to 2015-16 will be £295.8 million, at 2007 prices.

  In addition to contributing directly to the games budget, the Scottish Government is also assisting with a number of major transport infrastructure projects that will support the games. In total, these projects, which include the M74 extension, M80 extension, east end regeneration route and improvements to the bus links on the route to the airport, involve an estimated £1.6 billion of investment. The Scottish Government will also support the provision of housing within the Games Village, which will become an important element of the regeneration of the east end after the games.

Alcohol

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has undertaken of a potential cross-border traffic increase resulting from its proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and a ban on alcohol promotions.

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that its proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and a ban on alcohol promotions will result in an increase of cross-border traffic.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government does not consider that measures to stop irresponsible promotion and pricing of alcohol will result in increased cross-border traffic. However, Transport Scotland and Lothian and Borders police are represented on the Scottish Borders Road Safety Group and Traffic Scotland will continue to monitor traffic flows on all routes.

Alcohol

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Lothian and Borders Police and Scottish Borders Council regarding a potential cross-border traffic increase resulting from its proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and a ban on alcohol promotions.

Nicola Sturgeon: None. The Scottish Government does not consider that measures to stop irresponsible promotion and pricing of alcohol will result in increased cross-border traffic. However, Transport Scotland and Lothian and Borders Police are represented on the Scottish Borders Road Safety Group and Traffic Scotland will continue to monitor traffic flows on all routes.

Alcohol

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken or plans to undertake an analysis of the impact on road safety of a potential cross-border traffic increase resulting from its proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and a ban on alcohol promotions.

Nicola Sturgeon: Overall, a reduction in alcohol consumption is likely to lead to a reduction in road accidents. The Scottish Government does not consider that measures to stop irresponsible promotion and pricing of alcohol will result in increased cross-border traffic. However, Transport Scotland and Lothian and Borders Police are represented on the Scottish Borders Road Safety Group and Traffic Scotland will continue to monitor traffic flows on all routes.

Alcohol

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Scottish Borders Road Safety Working Group and whether it has raised with this group a potential cross-border traffic increase resulting from its proposals to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and a ban on alcohol promotions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not discussed this with the Scottish Borders Road Safety Working Group nor has the group raised any such concern with the Scottish Government.

Alcohol Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what public organisation is responsible for ensuring the safety of people who are drunk and incapable and that such people do not harm other members of the public.

Shona Robison: No single organisation has sole responsibility for this matter as it straddles the remit of a number of organisations working in areas such as public health, accident and emergency services, policing and anti-social behaviour. As such, this matter is best addressed as the collective responsibility of partnerships involving all relevant bodies.

  The Scottish Government funded and published on 10 November 2009, a research report on Managing the Needs of Drunk and Incapable People in Scotland: A Literature Review and Needs Assessment. The report and associated documents are available at the links below.

  Following publication of the research, a Chief Executives Letter (CEL 44/2009) signed by Kevin Woods (Director General Health and Chief Executive, NHS Scotland) and George Graham (Association of Chief Police Officers), was issued on 17 November. This asked alcohol and drug partnerships to ensure the needs of people who are drunk and incapable are included in local needs assessments when reviewing their service provision, and to ensure there are clear and effective partnership-based strategies in place to manage the needs of this vulnerable population and mitigate the impact they have on their communities.

  On 23 November, the Scottish Government also held a research dissemination event which included stakeholders from alcohol and drug partnerships, police, local authorities, Scottish Ambulance Service, community health partnerships, social work services, community safety partnerships, crown office and third sector service providers.

  Copies of the research report are available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/10/29154403/0.

  A review of the literature is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/10/29154320/0.

  A summary of findings and recommendations is available at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/10/29154234/0.

Ambulance Service

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time was for an emergency ambulance in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: The information requested is set out in the following table.

  

NHS Board Area
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


Cat A
All
Cat A
All
Cat A
All
Cat A
All
Cat A
All


Argyll and Clyde
9.0
9.9
8.6
9.7
8.4
9.7
8.0
8.9
6.7
7.6


Ayrshire and Arran
8.6
9.4
8.3
9.2
8.4
9.2
8.1
9.2
7.2
8.3


Borders
9.2
9.6
9.4
9.8
10.0
9.8
10.1
10.5
9.0
9.7


Dumfries and Galloway
10.1
10.5
10.2
10.4
9.5
10.4
9.5
10.0
8.2
9.0


Fife
7.9
8.2
7.6
8.2
8.5
8.2
8.1
8.8
7.0
7.9


Forth Valley
8.6
9.1
8.5
9.5
9.2
9.5
9.1
10.4
7.7
8.8


Grampian
7.6
7.9
7.4
7.8
7.5
7.8
7.1
8.1
6.8
7.6


Greater Glasgow and Clyde
8.9
10.5
8.8
10.6
9.5
10.6
7.7
9.5
7.0
8.7


Highland
9.5
9.6
9.7
9.8
9.2
9.8
8.9
9.7
8.5
9.1


Lanarkshire
9.6
10.7
9.2
10.6
9.6
10.6
8.1
9.2
7.1
8.0


Lothian
7.9
8.6
7.8
9.1
8.8
9.1
8.3
10.0
6.9
8.5


Orkney
N/A
10.3
N/A
10.7
N/A
10.7
N/A
11.4
N/A
11.3


Shetland
N/A
13.6
N/A
12.5
N/A
12.5
N/A
13.2
N/A
14.2


Tayside
8.2
8.7
8.0
8.7
8.7
8.7
8.4
9.2
7.4
8.3


Western Isles
N/A
10.6
N/A
11.4
N/A
11.4
N/A
9.9
N/A
9.7


Scotland
8.6
9.5
8.4
9.5
8.9
9.5
8.2
9.4
7.2
 8.3



  Notes:

  1. Information provided by the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

  2. SAS systems record data under the previous structure of 15 geographic health boards.

  3. "All" emergency is defined as Category A, B and C calls.

  4. The Scottish Ambulance Service completed the roll-out of the priority-based dispatch system across mainland Scotland in March 2004, so 2004-05 is the first year in which average category A and "all" emergency responses can be measured across Scotland. Figures for earlier years are not available as the information held is not comparable. Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles are subject to different performance management measures so figures are provided at an all emergency level.

Cancer

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on whether two views are used in breast screening in England and Wales.

Nicola Sturgeon: Two views are used in breast screening, at all screening appointments, in both England and Wales.

  The Scottish Breast Screening Programme is currently implementing two views and this is due to be implemented across Scotland by April 2010.

Cancer

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how rates of take-up of breast screening in Scotland compare with those in England and Wales.

Nicola Sturgeon: Uptake rates for breast screening in Scotland, for 2007-08, compare well with England and Wales.

  

Scotland Age 50-64
England Age 50-64
Wales Age 50-70


 75.6%
 73.6%
 72.8%



  More detailed statistics for breast screening in Scotland, England and Wales are publicly available and can be found at:

  Information Statistics Division - http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1622.html.

  The Information Centre for Health and Social Care:

  http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/screening/breast-screening.

  Breast Test Wales - http://www.screeningservices.org.uk/btw/index_eng.asp.

Climate Change

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultations it plans to hold before issuing guidance to public bodies on the climate change duties that will be imposed by section 44 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Stewart Stevenson: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, requires Scottish ministers to consult before providing guidance to public bodies on the climate change duties that will be imposed by section 44 of the act. They are required to consult with associations of local authorities and such other persons as the Scottish ministers consider appropriate.

  The public sector climate change duties imposed by section 44 of the act come into force on 1 January 2011. The Scottish Government intends that the guidance it is obliged to produce will be provided at the same time as the duty is commenced. The Scottish Government will maintain ongoing discussions with COSLA and other relevant parties, throughout the development of this statutory guidance. Furthermore, the Scottish Government plans to conduct a full public consultation during 2010 for a period of 12 weeks. All comments will be considered in finalising the guidance.

Climate Change

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to exercise the powers specified in section 83 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to set targets for reducing packaging.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has taken powers, through the Climate Change Act, to make regulations to introduce targets for the reduction of packaging, however there are no plans at the present time to do so.

  Scottish ministers have insisted, throughout the passage of the act, that they do not wish to regulate in the current circumstances, and will do so only if voluntary efforts fail.

Climate Change

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to exercise the powers specified in section 84 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to establish a deposit and return scheme.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has taken powers, through the Climate Change Act, to make regulations to establish a deposit and return scheme in Scotland, however there are no plans at the present time to do so.

  Scottish ministers have insisted, throughout the passage of the act, that they do not wish to regulate in the current circumstances, and will do so only if voluntary efforts fail.

Council Tax

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional income has been raised by each local authority from council tax on second homes since local authorities were granted discretion to reduce council tax discount on second homes and long-term empty properties on 1 April 2005.

John Swinney: The information requested is shown in the following table. The additional income from the reduced discounts is collected as a single item for both types of properties and is not available separately for second homes and long-term empty properties.

  Council Tax - Additional Income Raised from Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties at 31 March 2009

  

 
£000


 Scotland
 67,715 


 Aberdeen City
 4,335 


 Aberdeenshire
 4,361 


 Angus
 696 


 Argyll and Bute
 6,704 


 Clackmannanshire
 0 


 Dumfries and Galloway
 3,260 


 Dundee City
 0 


 East Ayrshire
 0 


 East Dunbartonshire
 0 


 East Lothian
 1,584 


 East Renfrewshire
 0 


 Edinburgh, City of
 8,681 


 Eilean Siar
 1,270 


 Falkirk
 1,108 


 Fife
 5,485 


 Glasgow City
 2,182 


 Highland
 9,722 


 Inverclyde
 373 


 Midlothian
 309 


 Moray
 1,653 


 North Ayrshire
 3,190 


 North Lanarkshire
 1,069 


 Orkney Islands
 667 


 Perth and Kinross
 3,801 


 Renfrewshire
 0 


 Scottish Borders
 2,828 


 Shetland Islands
 454 


 South Ayrshire
 895 


 South Lanarkshire
 1,163 


 Stirling
 1,576 


 West Dunbartonshire
 0 


 West Lothian
 349 



  Source: Council Tax and Community Charge Receipts returns (CTRR).

Council Tax

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the additional income raised from council tax on second homes since local authorities were granted discretion to reduce council tax discount on second homes and long-term empty properties on 1 April 2005 was used for the provision of affordable housing.

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many houses have been built as a result of additional income raised from council tax on second homes since local authorities were granted discretion to reduce council tax discount on second homes and long-term empty properties on 1 April 2005, broken down by local authority.

John Swinney: The information requested is not held centrally.

Council Tax

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities differentiate between second homes and long-term empty properties for the purpose of collecting council tax.

John Swinney: This information is not held centrally. It is for local authorities to determine how they differentiate between second homes and long-term empty properties for the purpose of collecting council tax.

Council Tax

John Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities apply discretion to granting council tax discounts of between 10% and 50% on second homes and long-term empty properties.

John Swinney: The following table shows the discount applied by each local authority for second homes and for long-term empty homes in the current year.

  Council Tax - Second Homes and Long-Term Empty Properties, level of Discount for 2009-10

  

 
 Second Homes Discount
 Long-Term Empty Property Discount


 Aberdeen City
 10%
 10%


 Aberdeenshire
 10%
 10%


 Angus
 10%
 50%


 Argyll and Bute
 10%
 10%


 Clackmannanshire
 50%
 50%


 Dumfries and Galloway
 10%
 10%


 Dundee City
 50%
 50%


 East Ayrshire
 50%
 50%


 East Dunbartonshire
 50%
 50%


 East Lothian
 10%
 10%


 East Renfrewshire
 10%
 10%


 Edinburgh, City of
 10%
 10%


 Eilean Siar
 10%
 10%


 Falkirk
 10%
 10%


 Fife
 10%
 10%


 Glasgow City
 10%
 50%


 Highland
 10%
 10%


 Inverclyde
 10%
 50%


 Midlothian
 10%
 10%


 Moray
 10%
 10%


 North Ayrshire
 10%
 10%


 North Lanarkshire
 10%
 10%


 Orkney Islands
 10%
 10%


 Perth and Kinross
 10%
 10%


 Renfrewshire
 50%
 50%


 Scottish Borders
 10%
 10%


 Shetland Islands
 10%
 10%


 South Ayrshire
 25%
 25%


 South Lanarkshire
 10%
 10%


 Stirling
 10%
 10%


 West Dunbartonshire
 50%
 50%


 West Lothian
 10%
 10%



  Source: Council Tax Assumptions (CTAS) returns 2009.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns expressed by the Scottish Council on Deafness about the impact on the planning of services of a lack of accurate statistics on deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

Shona Robison: It is proposed that the forthcoming 2011 Census in Scotland will contain a question on long-term health conditions with the aim of gathering statistics on the prevalence of certain broad types of condition in the population. The proposed question contains response categories for deafness and partial hearing loss and blindness or partial sight loss, so it will be possible to obtain accurate statistics on the number of deaf and hard of hearing as an overall category and also the number of people who responded to both the deafness and partial hearing loss and the blindness or partial sight loss category.

  Work is ongoing to develop appropriate questions for use in social surveys which could allow for more detailed information on specific conditions to be collected. This will increase the ability of community planning partnerships to provide appropriate services for each group.

Deaf and Hearing Impaired People

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Scotland can be a world leader in gathering accurate statistics on deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people.

Shona Robison: Information (statistics) on deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing people is not held centrally.

  Data on prevalence of deafness in Scotland, by age group, is published by the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) http://www.rnid.org.uk/about/in_your_area/scotland/statistics/.

  The Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland is currently working with the Scottish Government Health Directorate (SGHD) Lead Officer for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) on a number of information projects with the aim of finalising a national AHP dataset, which includes data on Audiometry Services http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/4452.html.

  The Scottish Government is also working on an audiology pilot scheme aimed at improving the information held on the number of children diagnosed with a hearing loss. This will be launched and is expected to be underway by early 2010.

Education

Elizabeth Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a time gap between the closure of the 5 to 14 curriculum website and the Curriculum for Excellence website becoming fully operational and, if so, what measures will be put in place to meet demand for assessment information during this time.

Fiona Hyslop: No decision has been taken on the timing of the closure of the National Assessment Bank and the bank will only be switched off when I am satisfied that there is sufficient support available to meet assessment demand during the period of transition from the existing system to the new system. The materials available for the new National Assessment Resource must also be of sufficient quality to provide the necessary support to pupils and teachers from August 2010.

  The Framework for Assessment, to be published in due course, will provide guidance on assessment for Curriculum for Excellence, including information on the National Assessment Resource and the national system of quality assurance and moderation which supports teachers in making their professional judgements. Following its publication, there will be an extended series of CPD opportunities for practitioners on the new assessment approaches.

Energy

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government and the European Commission regarding the rejection of Scottish Power’s bid for EU funding for carbon capture and storage technology at Longannet power station.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is continuing to work closely with the UK Government to ensure that Scottish carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects – including Longannet – are eligible for future EU funding, in particular under the New Entrants Reserve of the Emissions Trading Scheme.

  Projects were selected under the EU’s Energy Programme for Recovery (EEPR) by the European Commission alone. However, both the Scottish and UK Governments wrote strong letters of support for Longannet to the European Commission.

  Although we are disappointed that Longannet did not receive funding, we have stressed to both the UK Government and European Commission that it remains a very strong proposal with wide support across Scotland, and a strong contender shortlisted in the UK CCS competition and as an applicant for the more substantial EU funding available in the forthcoming New Entrants Reserve in 2010. The Scottish European Green Energy Centre is working closely with Scottish Power to position Longannet strongly in the New Entrants Reserve process.

Energy

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government regarding future EU funding for carbon capture and storage technology.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is engaged in close dialogue with the UK Government over future EU funding for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology through the New Entrants Reserve of the Emissions Trading Scheme, which proposes to allocate 300 million emissions allowances to fund CCS and renewable demonstration projects.

  We have made clear representations that the NER funding must support CCS projects across the range of different capture technologies – including retrofit to existing power stations, transportation types and storage options – especially saline aquifers, where Scotland has huge capacity.

  As part of the ongoing discussions with the UK Government around the new UK Energy Bill which proposes a CCS levy to fund demonstration, we have argued that the Scottish Ministers should have a clear role in selection of CCS projects for support in Scotland, and that this principle should also be applied to Scottish projects which are co-financed under the New Entrants Reserve.

  The Scottish Government, working with the Scottish European Green Energy Centre, is also in direct contact with the European Commission about future CCS funding in the European Framework Programmes for research and development.

Energy Efficiency

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector landlords have applied for an Energy Saving Scotland small business loan in each month since December 2008.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many private sector landlords have been approved for an Energy Saving Scotland small business loan in each month since December 2008.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value was of approved Energy Saving Scotland small business loans for private sector landlords in each month since November 2008.

Jim Mather: The following table illustrates the monthly breakdown of applications, number of approvals and the value of these, from private sector landlords since the Energy Saving Scotland small business loans scheme was re-launched to include this sector in December 2008.

  

 Month
 Number of Applications
 Number of Approvals
 Value of Approvals (£)


 December 2008
 1
 0
 0


 January 2009
 1
 0
 0


 February 2009
 0
 0
 0


 March 2009
 0
 2
 93,446


 April 2009
 2
 0
 0


 May 2009
 1
 0
 0


 June 2009
 0
 1
 6,830


 July 2009
 0
 1
 11,625


 August 2009
 0
 0
 0


 September 2009
 2
 0
 0


 October 2009
 0
 1
 2,210


 November 2009 (to 23 November)
 2
 0
 0



  The Energy Saving Trust is in the process of developing material for a wider energy efficiency campaign aimed at private landlords. Material will be distributed in early 2010 to around 2,000 landlords via local authorities, and will include promotion of the loans scheme.

Energy Efficiency

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for an Energy Saving Scotland small business loan were received in each month since November 2008.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Energy Saving Scotland small business loans were approved in each month since November 2008.

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value was of approved Energy Saving Scotland small business loans in each month since November 2008.

Jim Mather: The following table illustrates the monthly breakdown of applications, number of approvals and the value of these, to the Energy Saving Scotland small business loans scheme since November 2008.

  

 Month
 Number of Applications
 Number of Approvals
 Value of Approvals (£)


 November 2008
 7
 3
 93,690


 December 2008
 9
 5
 64,506


 January 2009
 12
 1
 12,815


 February 2009
 1
 5
 151,657


 March 2009
 10
 5
 143,927


 April 2009
 7
 3
 157,863


 May 2009
 8
 3
 106,889


 June 2009
 9
 10
 340,164


 July 2009
 17
 3
 56,426


 August 2009
 9
 10
 472,476


 September 2009
 8
 2
 47,695


 October 2009
 12
 10
 277,628


 November 2009 (to 23 November)
 12
 6
 210,532

Energy Efficiency

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote Energy Saving Scotland small business loans to private sector landlords.

Jim Mather: Through the Scottish Government’s support of the Energy Saving Scotland advice network, the Energy Saving Scotland small business loans scheme is promoted to the many private sector landlords who contact the network for advice on energy efficiency and other sustainable living issues.

  More broadly, the scheme has been advertised in publications such as The Scotsman and Chartered Accountants Scotland magazine. A digital marketing campaign has also promoted the scheme to over 3,000 potential applicants, including private landlords.

Energy Efficiency

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with take-up rates for Energy Saving Scotland small business loans among private sector landlords.

Jim Mather: We are pleased that the Energy Saving Scotland small business scheme has offered over £110,000 in interest-free loans to private sector landlords, who were ineligible to apply for energy efficiency loans under the previous administration.

  However, we would like more private landlords to recognise the benefits of the scheme and to take advantage of energy efficiency support schemes more generally. We have therefore asked the Energy Saving Trust (EST) to develop material for a wider marketing campaign aimed at private landlords.

  Discussions have already taken place between EST and the Association of Registered Letting Agents, the Scottish Association of Landlords and the Scottish Rural Properties Business Association to ensure this campaign is effectively targeted. Material will be distributed in early 2010 to around 2,000 landlords via local authorities, and will include promotion of the loans scheme.

Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to increase awareness of the range of support available to small and micro-businesses.

Jim Mather: The most widely used service for small and micro business is the Business Gateway, for which local authorities are now responsible for local delivery. The Business Gateway service involves extensive marketing programmes to ensure that the services it provides and signposts are publicised to businesses as comprehensively as possible.

Equalities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the consultation on extending the public sector duty on socio-economic inequalities in the UK Equality Bill to cover public bodies in Scotland.

Alex Neil: The consultation has now closed and the analysis of responses will be published by the end of 2009.

  Scottish ministers have now decided that the public sector duty on socio-economic inequalities in the UK Equality Bill will be extended to cover public bodies in Scotland.

Finance

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what "appropriate intervention", as referred to by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth in The Herald on 1 November 2009, it considers that it took with regard to (a) the Royal Bank of Scotland and (b) Lloyds TSB between September 2008 and 1 November 2009.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government has established the Finance Sector Jobs Taskforce to co-ordinate efforts across Scotland to ensure maximum levels of employment are retained within the financial services industry - focusing on understanding the needs of the industry as it adjusts to the future structures which will emerge as a result of the current climate. The taskforce is engaging directly with both the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group as they work through their restructuring plans.

  The Scottish Government Access to Finance Survey was undertaken in the early part of 2009. It surveyed 1,001 SMEs looking at supply, demand and cost of credit and the results were published in July 2009. In particular, the report focuses on how credit conditions have changed for Scottish SMEs during this period, and the current constraints faced by businesses as a result of the credit crunch and current economic downturn.

  Scottish ministers shared the results of this survey with the Office of Fair Trading, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the EC Commissioner for Competition. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor credit conditions in Scotland and has commissioned an update to the access to finance survey, which is being undertaken in November.

  Scottish ministers have engaged in direct discussions with both the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group on a number of occasions over this period.

  On 3 November 2009, immediately following the announcement by both banks of their divestment plans, I wrote to both the Chancellor of the Exchequer and EC Commissioner Neelie Kroes outlining concerns and seeking assurances around the impact of the banks’ divestment process on Scotland’s economy.

Finance

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what liaison there is with the Financial Services Authority to improve financial education.

Alex Neil: We liaise regularly with the Financial Services Authority on all aspects of their financial capability programme, to ensure that Scotland benefits appropriately.

Further Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many openings of new or refurbished colleges ministers have attended since 17 May 2007, broken down by (a) date, (b) college and (c) minister attending.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the following table:

  

 Date
 College
 Minister


 23 August 2007
 Stevenson College 
 Kenny MacAskill MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Justice


 20 September 2007
 Clydebank College 
 Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning


 28 September 2007
 Central College Glasgow
 Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning


 11 February 2008
 Dumfries and Galloway College 
 Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister


 3 April 2008
 Sabhal Mór Ostaig 
 Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister


 1 September 2009
 Ayr College
 Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning


 15 October 2009
 North Highland College
 Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister


 21 October 2009
 Cardonald College
 Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Schools and Skills


 31 October 2009
 Cumbernauld College 
 Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister


 18 November 2009
 Adam Smith College
 Alex Neil MSP, Minister For Housing and Communities


 24 November 2009
 Kilmarnock College 
 Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Further Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what new or refurbished colleges have been completed since 17 May 2007, broken down by (a) procurement method, (b) date when the outline business case was approved and (c) date that construction commenced.

Fiona Hyslop: The issues raised in the question are ones for the Scottish Funding Council and the colleges concerned. I will ask the chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Further Education

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether claimant numbers for unemployment-related benefit were analysed at ward level in deciding which colleges would receive funding from the additional £7.7 million for college places announced by the Scottish Funding Council on 9 July 2009.

Fiona Hyslop: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I will ask the chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Further Education

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the Scottish Funding Council to consider claimant numbers for unemployment-related benefit at ward level in deciding which colleges should receive funding from the additional £8.4 million for extra college places yet to be allocated.

Fiona Hyslop: The process for distributing funding to individual colleges is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council within broad policy guidance given by ministers, it would be inappropriate to instruct the funding council at the level of detail suggested.

Further Education

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether claimant numbers for unemployment-related benefit were analysed at ward level in deciding which colleges would receive funding from the extra £12 million allocated for college buildings announced by the Scottish Funding Council on 4 September 2009.

Fiona Hyslop: Decisions on the funding of individual colleges are a matter for the Scottish Funding Council. I will ask the chief executive of the Scottish Funding Council to reply to the member.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Netcare staff at the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital will be transferred to the NHS under the transfer of undertakings (protection of employment) regulations (TUPE) following the recent announcement about its return to the NHS.

Nicola Sturgeon: The issue of whether TUPE rules apply is a legal matter and therefore a matter for NHS Tayside to confirm.

  The decision by NHS Tayside to take over the management of Stracathro offers the opportunity for future employment within the NHS for Netcare staff, and for others within the community, with the skills and expertise needed to care for patients. This is one of the positive outcomes achieved by securing future service provision at Stracathro as part of NHS Tayside.

Health

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities operate a waiting list for access to direct payments.

Shona Robison: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what public consultation took place prior to the decision to end the Netcare contract at the Scottish Regional Treatment Centre at Stracathro Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: Netcare announced earlier this year that it did not intend to seek to renew the existing contract after it ends in January 2010. The question of public consultation about the contract with Netcare is therefore academic.

  The arrangement with Netcare was a pilot project with a time-limited lifespan. There is no doubt that the pilot has helped to reduce waiting times for treatment in a range of specialities in NHS Tayside, Fife and Grampian. We therefore need to retain the positive elements of the project. I have made it very clear that I believe the best way of doing so is to continue the service at Stracathro under the NHS. That is why we will be investing £5 million a year to make that happen from January.

Health

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the end-of-year budget surplus or deficit was for each NHS board in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: The end of year budget surplus or deficit for each NHS board in each year since 1999 are shown in the following tables.

  

 Health Board 
2000-01 £000
2001-02 £000
2002-03 £000
2003-04 £000
2004-05 £000


 Argyll and Clyde5
 (5,521)
 (3,538)
 582
 (35,370)
 (59,492)


 Ayrshire and Arran
 (4,017)
 806
 5,636
 7,913
 22,901


 Borders
 (1,925)
 (96)
 326
 299
 3,380


 Dumfries and Galloway
 (1,079)
 60
 2,311
 5,491
 9,455


 Fife
 (653)
 17
 2,978
 2,366
 5,400


 Forth Valley
 394
 (88)
 1
 392
 410


 Grampian
 1,562
 (2,006)
 370
 (4,804)
 (10,774)


 Greater Glasgow
 467
 503
 12,135
 5,010
 12,103


 Highland
 74
 546
 442
 1,956
 1,838


 Lanarkshire
 1,031
 (4,890)
 (7,342)
 (13,866)
 (20,042)


 Lothian
 1,786
 (10,033)
 8,384
 13,207
 19,566


 Orkney
 (626)
 (227)
 0
 34
 60


 Shetland
 (98)
 (425)
 274
 339
 24


 Tayside
 1,907
 (4,510)
 4,330
 (32)
 4,460


 Western Isles
 (549)
 (565)
 201
 (271)
 (738)


 Health Scotland
 (290)
 (19)
 35
 35
 447


 Common Services Agency
 (4,113)
 2,442
 1,350
 4,410
 3,871


 Scottish Ambulance Service
 (1,011)
 851
 5
 22
 50


 State Hospital
 (1,011)
 0
 131
 1,948
 1,994


 Mental Welfare Commission
 3
 42
 46
 (2)
 1,263


 NHS 241
 n/a
 8
 (956)
 1,183
 4,988


 National Waiting Times Centre2
 n/a
 n/a
 40
 1,985
 1,601


 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland3
 n/a
 n/a
 522
 567
 513


 NHS Education4
 n/a
 n/a
 (948)
 2,585
 7,732


 Clinical Standards Board3
 58
 26
 n/a
 n/a
 n/a


 Health Technology Board3
 197
 (182)
 n/a
 n/a
 n/a


 Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education4
 496
 194
 n/a
 n/a
 n/a



  

 Health Board 
2005-06 £000
2006-07 £000
2007-08 £000
2008-09 £000


 Argyll and Clyde5
 569
 n/a
 n/a
 n/a


 Ayrshire and Arran
 17,405
 13,000
 9,961
 10,012


 Borders
 3,314
 2,988
 650
 82


 Dumfries and Galloway
 14,223
 14,130
 7,007
 4,484


 Fife
 4,582
 5,020
 5,664
 2,928


 Forth Valley
 407
 590
 2,000
 3,525


 Grampian
 456
 6,337
 6,391
 6,486


 Greater Glasgow5
 12,284
 27,348
 646
 441


 Highland5
 1,369
 6,829
 5,362
 70


 Lanarkshire
 (8,393)
 7,961
 11,785
 14,895


 Lothian
 179
 4,634
 364
 188


 Orkney
 50
 139
 4
 152


 Shetland
 341
 370
 976
 390


 Tayside
 1,141
 3,080
 1,801
 310


 Western Isles
 (2,484)
 (3,364)
 (3,097)
 9


 Health Scotland
 127
 511
 184
 51


 Common Services Agency
 5,077
 1,700
 2,521
 161


 Scottish Ambulance Service
 1
 132
 38
 25


 State Hospital
 2,860
 899
 64
 1


 Mental Welfare Commission
 60
 274
 106
 8


 NHS 241
 809
 2,238
 255
 79


 National Waiting Times Centre2
 3,991
 5,123
 7,279
 4,262


 NHS Quality Improvement Scotland3
 268
 147
 398
 116


 NHS Education4
 10,960
 13,123
 15,179
 9,321



  Notes:

  1. NHS24 was created in 2002-03.

  2. The National Waiting Times Centre was created in 2003-04.

  3. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland was created in 2003-04 and took over the activities of the Clinical Standards Board and Health Technology Board for Scotland.

  4. NHS Education was created in 2003-04 and took over the activities of the Scottish Council for Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education.

  5. Argyll and Clyde health board was dissolved after 2005-06 and its activities transferred to Greater Glasgow and Highland health boards.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what services provided at the new Stobhill Hospital were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what services provided at the new Victoria Hospital were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

Nicola Sturgeon: The out-of-hours GP services which were provided at the old Stobhill and Victoria facilities have been moved to the new Stobhill and Victoria Hospitals. In addition, ante-natal clinics will now be provided in the new Stobhill and Victoria Hospitals. There are no other primary care services which were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what services at the Vale of Leven Hospital were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Sandyford hub sexual health service at the Vale of Leven Hospital, which provides sexual health and family planning services, replaced the Dumbarton family planning and well woman clinic earlier this year. The GP out-of-hours services have been provided from the Vale site since 2004. There are no other primary care services which were previously provided in primary healthcare settings.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what international research informs its position on the link between hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government uses the best research evidence available world-wide to inform its view on risks and benefits of treatment. Where possible, this is gained from a systematic review or meta-analysis of well conducted randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Alternatively, a causal association between treatment exposure and a specific disease can be studied through prospective cohort studies.

  Two studies were instrumental in demonstrating a clear link between hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and increasing breast cancer risk. These were the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study in 2002 and the Million Women Study in 2003. Furthermore, Cancer Research UK published data in 2009 on HRT use by age group, which demonstrates that groups with the largest decreases in HRT use, show corresponding decreases in the incidence of breast cancer. This phenomenon has been observed in Scotland as well as several other countries across the world suggesting the events are causally related.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what international research informs its position on the link between the contraceptive pill and breast cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government uses the best research evidence available world-wide to inform its view on risks and benefits of treatment. Where possible, this is gained from a systematic review or meta-analysis of well conducted randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Alternatively, a causal association between treatment exposure and a specific disease can be studied through prospective cohort studies.

  A recent systematic review of 10 studies, including one pooled analysis of 54 studies, showed that oral contraceptive use does not increase the risk of breast cancer even in women with a family history of breast cancer.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what international research informs its position on the link between the morning-after pill and breast cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is not aware of any evidence linking emergency contraception (morning-after pill) and breast cancer.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a medical record is kept when a woman buys the morning-after pill.

Shona Robison: Levonelle One Step, which may be bought in a pharmacy, is classified as a pharmacy (P) medicine. As with other pharmacy (P) medicines there is no requirement for a record to be kept of such purchases.

Health

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether women are advised of the health risks when being sold the morning-after pill by pharmacists.

Shona Robison: Practice guidance developed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain for pharmacists who supply emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) as a pharmacy medicine advises that pharmacists should provide information to women on the use of EHC including side effects.

  In addition, the patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine provides information about the medicine including any side effects. These leaflets are authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency at the time of licensing and updated throughout the life of the product as new information on risks and benefits emerges.

Health

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to support the recommendation adopted by the EU Council of Ministers on 9 June 2009 calling on member states to implement plans or strategies for rare diseases.

Nicola Sturgeon: In Scotland, rare diseases are already managed on a pan-Scotland basis, largely through genetic services - which are subject to ongoing enhancement following on from the Calman review (2006) with £4.6 million per annum recurring investment over three years - and through access to treatments via services commissioned by National Services Division.

Health

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the clinical management of acute cholecystitis is under review by NHS Scotland; if so, whether changes are envisaged to treatment plans, and when such changes will be implemented by NHS boards.

Nicola Sturgeon: There is no review of the clinical management of acute cholecystitis currently underway and there are no plans to do so in the near future.

Health

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, given that the Penrose Inquiry terms of reference do not include the issue of compensation, what consideration it has given to the recommendations on this issue made in Lord Archer’s independent inquiry report on NHS contaminated blood and blood products.

Nicola Sturgeon: The issue of compensation is not specifically part of the terms of reference of the inquiry. As a matter of law, the inquiry cannot involve finding individuals and institutions legally liable for penalties, or for damages, or for breach of duty in any legal sense. However, the inquiry has the ability to examine any particular adverse consequences for patients treated by the NHS in Scotland and their families of infection through blood and blood products with hepatitis C and HIV. This could include some examination of the adverse financial consequences for individual patients and the taking of evidence as to those consequences.

  We consider that the existing terms of reference would not rule out recommendations in relation to compensation if Lord Penrose were to feel, in the light of his investigations, that this was appropriate. However, the inquiry is independent of ministers and it is for the inquiry to reach its own conclusions in relation to the matters that have been referred to it and report its conclusions and recommendations to ministers at the end of that process.

  It would not be appropriate for ministers to comment further on this issue in advance of the conclusion of the inquiry.

Health

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing will make a statement to the Parliament when the Penrose Inquiry issues its preliminary report.

Nicola Sturgeon: In making his opening statement for the public inquiry, Lord Penrose said he would set out in a preliminary report the facts and circumstances, and medical and scientific opinions, which have emerged from the first stage of evidence gathering. The timing of publication of this report is not known at this time.

  Given the independent nature of the inquiry, it would not be appropriate to make any statement on matters relating to its terms of reference while the inquiry is in progress.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to reduce the number of delayed patient discharges.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government, COSLA, NHS boards and individual local authorities are all committed to making sure that people are not delayed unnecessarily in hospital once treatment is complete. There were no patients delayed for longer than the agreed six weeks discharge period at both April 2008 and April 2009, the only times this has ever been achieved in Scotland since recording began in September 2000. There have always been seasonal fluctuations and the latest census, which showed 94 patients had been delayed for more than six weeks, compares with the census in October 2006, under the previous administration, when there were 679 patients delayed over six weeks.

  My officials continue to work closely with partnerships to reduce the level of delayed discharges. In addition, the Joint Improvement Team is working with individual partnerships that have requested assistance. Various support tools have also been made available for partnerships to adopt.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce patient discharge delays due to unavailability of funding for care home places.

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reduce patient discharge delays due to unavailability of funding for community care support.

Shona Robison: We expect local authorities and the NHS to work together and within their combined resources to ensure patients are not unnecessarily delayed in hospitals when treatment is complete.

  The Scottish Government’s aim is to enable people to stay in their own homes, or in a homely setting, with maximum independence, for as long as possible.

  We are undertaking a major review of care of older people, including care home provision and the financial implications. We are engaging with Parliament, the professions, providers and society to agree a way forward that is sufficiently radical to meet the changing needs of Scotland’s population.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reason is for the increase in the number of delayed discharges.

Shona Robison: Historically, delayed discharges rise in July and October. The fact is that the level of delayed discharges heading into winter has never been as low as the last two years. This year there are 94 patients delayed over six weeks, last year there were 91. In 2006, under the previous administration there were 679.

  We are working with COSLA to jointly address any issues that arise that can impact on delayed discharge. The Joint Improvement Team is also available to help partnerships understand the causes of delayed discharge and to help redesign services as required.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average duration of delay is for delayed patient discharges, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: Information on the average (mean and median) delay for patients awaiting discharge at the October 2009 is shown in the following table.

  Median and Mean Duration for all Delays as at the October 2009 Census by NHS Board

  

 NHS Board Area of Treatment
 Median Duration (Days)
 Mean Duration (Days)


 Scotland
 22
 27


 Ayrshire and Arran
 21
 22


 Borders
 17
 20


 Fife
 22
 21


 Forth Valley
 21
 23


 Grampian
 17
 21


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 21
 30


 Highland
 29
 42


 Lanarkshire
 27
 27


 Lothian
 22
 29


 Tayside
 17
 22



  Source: ISD Scotland, Delayed Discharges Census.

  The mean and median duration for Dumfries and Galloway, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles are not show because the total number of patients delayed is very small.

Healthcare Associated Infection

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it measures levels of Clostridium difficile and MRSA in community health settings and what body is responsible for doing so.

Nicola Sturgeon: The government’s objective is to reduce all avoidable infections across all settings and our work to reduce infections in community healthcare settings is continually evolving.

  Patients, particularly the elderly, move frequently between the community and the acute healthcare setting. Consequently, no accurate measurement can currently be made as to whether a Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) or MRSA infection occurred specifically in the community setting. The present national reporting arrangements do not therefore differentiate between community acquired or healthcare acquired infections.

  The body responsible for collecting and publishing the national quarterly data on cases and rates of CDI and MRSA in each NHS board area is Health Protection Scotland.

Historic Scotland

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Historic Scotland reclaimed or plans to reclaim grants from the National Trust for Scotland as a result of the sale of the trust’s headquarters in Charlotte Square.

Michael Russell: Historic Scotland provided an acquisition grant to the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) towards the purchase of the Charlotte Square property of £700,000 on 27 March 1996. This grant is repayable by the trust on the sale of the property. On the assumption the agreed sale takes place, Historic Scotland would expect the NTS to repay this grant, which would then be available for allocation to other activities in support of the historic environment.

  Historic Scotland also provided a grant of £1,600,000 in March 1998 towards the repair and renovation of the Charlotte Square property. Under the terms of the governing legislation and the normal terms of a grant offer this was only recoverable if the property was sold within 10 years. Historic Scotland therefore has no intention of reclaiming any element of this funding.

Justice

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many migrants from other EU states are serving a custodial sentence, broken down by institution.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  

 
 Bulgarian
 Dutch
 French
 German
 Greek
 Italian
 Lithuanian
 Polish
 Irish
 Spanish


 Aberdeen
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 1
 
 


 Addiewell
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 


 Barlinnie
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 2
 2
 1


 Edinburgh
 
 
 
 1
 1
 
 
 3
 
 1


 Glenochil Prison
 
 1
 
 1
 
 
 
 1
 1
 


 Greenock
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Inverness
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4
 
 


 Kilmarnock
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 1
 


 Open Estate
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 Perth
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 3
 
 


 Peterhead
 
 
 1
 
 
 1
 
 3
 1
 


 Polmont
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 1
 
 


 Shotts
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 1



  The table gives a breakdown of convicted prisoners from other EU States currently in custody within Scottish prisons.

Medical Research

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what research and clinical trials are being carried out in Scotland to improve the lives of people with pancreatic cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Government has responsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health and healthcare needs in Scotland. CSO supports projects of a sufficiently high standard initiated by the research community in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughout the healthcare and academic community.

  CSO is currently funding one research project on pancreatic cancer. CSO would welcome further research proposals in this area which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.

  There are nine clinical trials on pancreatic cancer taking place in the UK, two of which are actively recruiting patients at Scottish sites.

Ministerial Meetings

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what liaison there is with the Department of Work and Pensions to improve income maximisation.

Alex Neil: We liaise regularly with a range of contacts in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), under the working arrangements established in our concordat with the department, which we are currently refreshing and work closely with the DWP on income maximsation. As part of our tackling poverty framework Achieving our Potential, to make the benefits and tax credits system work better for Scotland, we are committed to high level biennial meetings involving Scottish ministers, COSLA leaders and ministers from the Department for Work and Pensions.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been set aside for contingencies in the contract for the building of the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Capital Investment Manual guidance makes clear that contingencies and optimism bias should be provided for. In the outline business case, these were appropriately calculated and incorporated in to the health board’s affordability envelope. The maximum price received from the successful bidder is within the board’s budget estimates and allows for an adequate contingency provision within the overall affordability envelope.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it sought advice from the European Commission on the procurement process for the new Southern General Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The procuring authority is NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (the board) and therefore the Scottish Government has not taken any advice from the European Commission.

NHS Staff

Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) doctors, (b) nurses and (c) other hospital staff passed hand hygiene tests in each year since 1999.

Nicola Sturgeon: Hand hygiene compliance monitoring of NHS staff began in Scotland in 2007 and so the information requested is not available. Scotland is the first and only country in the world currently undertaking national compliance monitoring of this kind. Health Protection Scotland (HPS) is responsible for collecting the information and publishing data in its bi-monthly Compliance with Hand Hygiene - Audit Report.

  The results for each staff group since monitoring began can be found in the HPS reports at the following web link:

  http://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/haiic/ic/nationalhandhygienecampaign.aspx.

  NHS boards themselves conduct independent local hand hygiene compliance monitoring on a monthly basis. The results are available from each NHS board website. The portal link to these website pages can be found at the following Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/NHS-Scotland/19529/statistics/Local.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives secured employment as midwives following return-to-practice courses in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government funds all nurses or midwives who wish to access the return-to-practice (RTP) programme which is linked to an offer of employment from NHS Scotland.

  The number of nurses and midwives who secured employment after successfully completing a RTP programme in 2007-08 was 92 and in 2008-09 was 36.

NHS Staff

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many midwives graduated in (a) 2007-08 and (b) 2008-09 and whether all obtained positions as midwives.

Nicola Sturgeon: The number of midwives who graduated from Scottish higher education institutions in 2007-09 was 161 and in 2008-09 was 143.

  The Scottish Government does not hold statistics on the number of newly qualified midwives who gain employment. However, only 14 newly qualified nurses and midwives required access the one year job guarantee scheme in 2007-08 and 20 accessed the scheme in 2008-09.

  The Scottish Government continues to fund the national one year job guarantee scheme, which is intended to ensure that every newly qualified midwife receives the offer of a job either through their own means or with assistance. It is designed to ensure that all newly qualified midwives have the opportunity to build on the clinical experience gained during their pre-registration programme.

Organ Donation

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to increase the level of registered organ donors in the Asian community.

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23482 by Nicola Sturgeon on 13 May 2009, what progress has been made in increasing levels of registered organ donors in black and minority ethnic communities.

Nicola Sturgeon: Our work on implementation in Scotland of the UK Organ Donation Taskforce recommendations includes a range of work specifically directed at the promotion of organ donation to the black and minority ethnic (BME) population.

  On 16 November 2009, the Scottish Government Health Directorates organised the first of a series of focus groups attended by key members of the BME population, who have been asked to advise on the most effective way of taking forward the promotion of organ donation within these communities.

  The outcomes of all of these discussions will then be reported to the Scottish Transplant Group for consideration.

Organ Donation

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people volunteered for organ donation in each month since January 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27724 on 9 October 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Police

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the continuation of central government funding for additional police officers beyond the current parliamentary session.

Kenny MacAskill: A well resourced police service will remain a priority for the Scottish Government, but at this stage it is not possible to commit funding beyond the current spending review period.

Poverty

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-26996 by John Swinney on 18 September 2009, which (a) data zones and (b) council wards in the South Lanarkshire local authority area are in the (i) 15% and (ii) 5% most deprived such areas in Scotland, according to the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, published on 29 October 2009.

John Swinney: Of South Lanarkshire’s 398 data zones, there are 11 in Scotland’s 5% most deprived areas using the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) 2009, down from 13 data zones in SIMD 2006. Ten data zones have remained there in 2009, three data zones moved out and only one new data zone moved in. The data zones in the 5% most deprived in SIMD 2009 are listed in the following table.

  Of South Lanarkshire’s 398 data zones, there are 52 in Scotland’s 15% most deprived areas using the SIMD 2009, down from 56 data zones in SIMD 2006. Forty eight data zones have remained there in 2009, eight data zones moved out and only four new data zones moved in. The data zones in the 15% most deprived in SIMD 2009 are listed in the following table.

  South Lanarkshire Data Zones in the 5% and 15% Most Deprived Areas (SIMD 2009)

  

 Data Zone
 In The 5% Most Deprived?
 In The 15% Most Deprived?
 Data Zone
 In The 5% Most Deprived?
 In The 15% Most Deprived?


 S01005874
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005880
 No
 Yes


 S01005913
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005891
 No
 Yes


 S01005947
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005892
 No
 Yes


 S01005959
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005917
 No
 Yes


 S01005965
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005928
 No
 Yes


 S01005990
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005932
 No
 Yes


 S01005995
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005939
 No
 Yes


 S01005998
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005951
 No
 Yes


 S01006040
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005954
 No
 Yes


 S01006061
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005957
 No
 Yes


 S01006063
 Yes
 Yes
 S01005961
 No
 Yes


 S01005672
 No
 Yes
 S01005966
 No
 Yes


 S01005675
 No
 Yes
 S01005967
 No
 Yes


 S01005683
 No
 Yes
 S01005982
 No
 Yes


 S01005694
 No
 Yes
 S01005987
 No
 Yes


 S01005701
 No
 Yes
 S01005988
 No
 Yes


 S01005748
 No
 Yes
 S01005992
 No
 Yes


 S01005752
 No
 Yes
 S01006000
 No
 Yes


 S01005755
 No
 Yes
 S01006007
 No
 Yes


 S01005757
 No
 Yes
 S01006008
 No
 Yes


 S01005759
 No
 Yes
 S01006012
 No
 Yes


 S01005762
 No
 Yes
 S01006034
 No
 Yes


 S01005764
 No
 Yes
 S01006041
 No
 Yes


 S01005832
 No
 Yes
 S01006058
 No
 Yes


 S01005855
 No
 Yes
 S01006062
 No
 Yes


 S01005869
 No
 Yes
 S01006065
 No
 Yes



  The SIMD is only calculated at data zone level, it does not rank wards in terms of levels of deprivation. However, it is possible to look at the number of data zones within each ward in the 5% and 15% most deprived areas. This is shown in the following table.

  The wards of Coatshill/low Blantyre, Forth and Spittal/Blairbeth no longer have any data zones in the 15% most deprived since SIMD 2006. The wards of Burgh, Burnbank/Blantyre, Douglas and Whitehill have also seen relative improvements.

  Lanark South ward sees one data zone moving into the 15% most deprived.

  South Lanarkshire Electoral Wards Containing Data Zones in the 5% and 15% Most Deprived Areas (SIMD 2009)

  

Electoral Wards (2001)
Number Of Data Zones In The 5% Most Deprived
Number Of Data Zones In The 15% Most Deprived
Total Number Of Data Zones


Blackwood Ward
 
1
6


Burgh Ward
1
1
6


Burnbank/Blantyre Ward
1
4
8


Cadzow Ward
 
1
6


Cairns Ward
 
1
7


Cambuslang Central Ward
 
2
4


Cathkin/Springhall Ward
1
4
8


Douglas Ward
 
2
5


Fernhill Ward
 
3
5


Hallside Ward
1
2
8


Hamilton Centre North Ward
 
1
5


High Blantyre Ward
1
2
7


Hillhouse Ward
1
3
5


Kirkhill/Whitlawburn Ward
2
2
5


Lanark South Ward
 
1
5


Larkhall East Ward
 
3
7


Larkhall South Ward
 
3
5


Larkhall West Ward
 
1
6


Lesmahagow Ward
 
1
6


Low Waters Ward
1
3
5


Rutherglen West Ward
1
4
6


Silvertonhill Ward
 
1
6


Udston Ward
1
3
4


Whitehill Ward
 
2
5


Woodhead/Meikle Earnock Ward
 
1
7

Prescriptions

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for (a) sibutramine and (b) orlisat have been dispensed to individuals aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 21, (c) 22 to 30 and (d) over 30 in the NHS Lothian area in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: It is not possible to identify from the information collected centrally, medicines dispensed to patients broken down by the age categories requested.

  Data on the number of prescribed items for sibutramine and orlistat dispensed to patients aged under 16 years and all other patients in the NHS Lothian area can be found in the answer to question S3W-28365 on 6 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Regeneration

Aileen Campbell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bids to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in each tranche and what the total value of these bids was in each case.

Alex Neil: A total of 132 applications were made to the first round of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund seeking £127 million. Of these, 36 were successful and 96 unsuccessful. In total, £40.5 million was offered to first round applicants. The total value of unsuccessful bids was £76 million.

  In the second round, 136 applications were received with a total value of £94 million. Of these, 30 secured funding and the remaining 106 were unsuccessful. Successful bids attracted £19.5 million in funding; the total value of unsuccessful bids was £63 million.

Regeneration

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what bids for funding from the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were rejected at stage one of the four-stage assessment process.

Alex Neil: Six applications to the second round of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were found to be ineligible and were not therefore able to be considered for funding.

Regeneration

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what bids for funding from the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were rejected at stage two of the four-stage assessment process.

Alex Neil: No bids were rejected during the second stage of the assessment process, which involved consideration and scoring of bids by a team of officials.

Regeneration

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what bids for funding from the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were rejected at stage three of the four-stage assessment process.

Alex Neil: No bids were rejected during the third stage of the assessment process. At this stage, bids were considered by the independent advisory panel who offered recommendations to ministers on potential allocations. It was not part of their remit to remove applications from further consideration, and all eligible bids proceeded to stage four.

Regeneration

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what bids for funding from the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were rejected at stage four of the four-stage assessment process.

Alex Neil: The fourth stage of the assessment of applications to the Town Centre Regeneration Fund involved decision by ministers on the awards to be offered to projects. In the second tranche, ministers agreed to allocate funding to 30 projects. A further 106 projects were unsuccessful.

Regeneration

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any successful bids for funding from the second tranche of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund that did not meet the initial eligibility criteria.

Alex Neil: All of the bids that secured funding from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund were found to have met the initial eligibility criteria.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications it has received for funding from the Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme.

Jim Mather: The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by an independent company, Community Energy Scotland Limited. Over 300 applications have been dealt with since the launch of the scheme on 27 April 2009.

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what projects it has supported under the Communities and Renewable Energy Scheme, also showing the grant funding.

Jim Mather: The Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) is managed on behalf of the Scottish Government by an independent company, Community Energy Scotland Ltd. It has supported the following 113 projects which have been offered grant or received payment since the launch of the scheme on 27 April 2009.

  

 Project Name
 Funding


 Scottish Youth Hostels Association Project – Air Source Heat Pump Lochranza
£24,873.00


 Mull And Iona Community Trust Project – Feasibility
£14,991.99


 Benmore And Kilmun Development Trust Anaerobic Digestion
£11,442.50


 Community Consultation And Ballot On Income Generation Wind Project
£700.00


 Isle Of Gigha Heritage Trust Pre-Capital For 4th Turbine
£18,000.00


 Fyne Futures Garden Project – Wind
£21,921.50


 Atlantis Leisure Pool Options Appraisal
£2,129.05


 Argyll and Bute Council, Tobermory Pre-5’s Project
£23,720.79


 Allt Dearg Wind
£1,043.00


 David Marshall Lodge
£62,620.23


 Alyth Primary School Woodchip Boiler
£61,804.93


 RNLI Perth Solar Thermal
£5,931.96


 Whitlawburn Housing Association Renewable Energy Feasibility Study
£4,301.00


 Greengairs Indoor Sports Centre
£8,925.00


 Hawthorn Housing Cooperative Air Source Heat Pump
£7,620.41


 Clyde Maritime Trust Capita Symonds – Feasibility
£7,600.00


 New Lanark Conservation Trust – Technical Study For Hydro Turbine Reinstatement At Mill
£6,500.00


 Love Milton – Appraising Renewable Energy Options For The Community Centre
£5,954.70


 Coalburn Silver Band Solar Thermal Panels
£2,122.47


 Andalus – Energy And Carbon Emission Saving Assessment
£6,325.00


 St Brides Community Centre – Appraisal and Technical Specification For Wood Fuelled District Heating
£3,823.75


 Govan Housing Association – Appraisal For New Build Housing, 41 Dunsmuir St
£5,405.00


 Clyde Maritime Trust Tall Ship Glenlee Water Source Heat Pump
£144,900.00


 Route 81 Youth Project – Ground Source Heat Pump With Boreholes And Mains Gas Back Up
£50,974.99


 Silver Birch Scotland - Options Appraisal For Heating And Powering Buildings And Electric Vehicles
£10,468.03


 Neilston The Bank – Energy Efficiency And Renewables Specification For Community Building Refurbishment
£6,238.75


 Woodpark Primary School, Lesmahagow – Wood Chip Boiler
£25,813.00


 Community Development Trust – Financial Sustainability
£5,750.00


 Orkney And Shetland Biomass NI Study Visit
£3,360.00


 Servite Housing Association – Biomass
£62,265.00


 Boat of Garten Community Hall Project – Ground Source Heat Pump
£8,872.53


 Strathspey Railway Association Spey Lodge Heating Project
£29,308.69


 Inverness Tennis and Squash Club Project
£4,907.00


 Station House Cooperative Limited Project – Pellet Boiler
£20,473.33


 Newmill Hall, Keith Project – Solar Hot Water and Insulation
£6,336.00


 Langstane Housing Association Project – Cromarty View, Burghead.
£16,989.00


 Black Isle Village Halls Energy Audit
£12,080.75


 Vision Golspie/Golspie Your Future Community Hydro
£2,150.00


 Findon Community Hall Solar And Insulation Project
£24,803.00


 Kirkton Woodland Group (c/o Loch Carron Community Council)
£300.00


 Coigach Wind Energy Feasibility
£10,000.00


 Glencanisp Housing And Energy Study
£7,820.00


 Vges Community Buildings Energy Audit
£14,697.00


 Vision Golspie Hydro Advice
£409.75


 Applecross Community Company Hydro Feasibility
£3,200.00


 KALE Ground Source and Solar Heating New Build Community Centre
£39,487.86


 CES Wind Mast Anemometry Project
£2,345.00


 Banff Academy Pellet Boiler
£100,000.00


 AB33 8DD Renewable Energy Company
£9,335.70


 Hillcrest HA ASHP Fountain Road
£8,695.00


 Udny Community Wind Turbine
£6,000.00


 Murton Wildlife Trust Renewables Project
£26,092.54


 Udny Community Wind Turbine
£3,296.88


 Woodend Barn Arts Centre, Biomass
£123,919.24


 Monikie War Memorial Hall – Ground Source Heat Pump
£6,156.15


 Udny Wind Turbine Project Development
£100,000.00


 Tenants First Aboyne Biomass District Heating Scheme
£61,060.00


 Discovery Point Wind
£26,128.00


 Banff Princess Royal Sports and Community Trust Wind Turbine
£8,815.21


 Stronsay Renewable Energy Limited - 900 Kw Grid Connection
£47,675.55


 Shapinsay 900kw Grid Connection
£49,992.80


 Stromness District Heat Scheme Design
£15,000.00


 Island of Hoy 900KW Grid Connection
£40,857.20


 West Sandwick Public Hall, Yell Wind To Heat
£18,750.30


 Hillswick Public Hall Wind To Heat Project
£25,955.30


 Lunnasting Primary Re-Commissioning of 6kw Proven Turbine
£10,402.10


 Hjaltland Housing Association Scalloway District Heating Project
£7,500.00


 Hjaltland Housing Association Ladies Mire Exhaust Air Source Heat Pump Project
£37,780.01


 Scalloway Museum Air Water Heat Pump
£54,761.00


 Community Energy Scotland – Education and Demonstration Equipment
£250.00


 Shetland Halls Association Project
£2,450.00


 Feasibility Study Into Potential Inverters To Allow Off Grid Systems To Operate At Grid Standard
£10,925.00


 Shetland and Western Isles Hydro Projects Technical Assistance
£44,111.00


 Almond Valley Heritage Trust Project
£5,975.00


 Gorebridge Community Development Trust Project
£9,315.00


 Strathbrock Lodge, West Lothian Council Project
£10,057.40


 East Lothian Council Project
£6,250.00


 Fife Council Anaerobic Digestion Study
£10,000.00


 Pedal Portobello Feasibility
£7,380.00


 Paxton House Project
£8,625.00


 Valleyfield Community Project – Feasibility Into Possible Hydro Scheme In Old Estate
£517.50


 Berwickshire Housing Association – Air Source Heat Pump
£1,998.67


 Kingdom Housing Association Project
£10,899.12


 Jedburgh Leisure Facilities Trust – Laidlaw Memorial Pool Biomass
£53,776.11


 Out of the Blue Drill Hall Project – Solar Panels and Energy Efficiency Work
£34,979.95


 Water Of Leith Hydro
£30,417.50


 Fife Schools Awareness Raising
£10,000.00


 Yarrowford Grazings
£17,260.00


 Rosslyn Chapel Trust Project
£102,253.04


 Lauderdale Hydro Study
£572.30


 Commonwealth Pool
£150,000.00


 Carrick Academy Feasibility Study (South Ayrshire Council)
£3,050.00


 Ayrshire Housing Association Project
£14,793.71


 Barony College Project
£200,000.00


 Scottish Maritime Museum Project – Feasibility
£3,100.00


 Sportscotland – Refurbishment Of Turbines Largs
£2,814.92


 West Kilbride Village Hall – Energy And Carbon Emission Saving
£3,327.00


 South Rhins Community Development Trust – Mull Of Galloway Feasibility Assessment For Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energy
£3,692.50


 Energy Agency (Ayr) - Project i: Sustainable Centre, Pre-Feasibility
£9,825.00


 Energy Agency – Project ii: Sustainability Fair (12.09.2009)
£4,482.66


 Lugar & Logan Parish Church Hall Assessment
£4,999.08


 Kilmarnock Salvation Army – Energy Efficiency And Renewable Energy Assessment
£4,117.00


 Catrine Wind Feasibility
£10,000.00


 Irvine Sports Club – Energy And Carbon Emission Saving Assessment
£3,995.00


 Canna Feasibility Study
£8,199.21


 Ratagan Swimming Pool Solar Panels
£1,548.12


 Ardnamurchan Lighthouse Trust – Wind to heat
£64,746.02


 Slad Kyleakin Air Source Heat Pump
£7,980.00


 Allt Duisdale Feasibility Study
£5,323.50


 Kilchoan Community Centre – Wind to heat
£53,658.46


 Waternish Village Hall Energy Appraisal
£600.00


 Outer Hebrides Community Energy Days 09
£800.00


 Point and Sandwick Development Trust Technical Assistance Through Planning
£17,096.00

Renewable Energy

Lewis Macdonald (Aberdeen Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it provides for the development of biomass-fired combined heat and power (CHP) or district heating schemes.

Jim Mather: Under the Scottish Government’s Biomass Heat Support Scheme, a total of £3.3 million is available to support small and medium-sized businesses in installing biomass boilers and distract heating systems. The scheme is particularly keen to encourage district heating projects. A recent round of the scheme saw over £1 million allocated to businesses across Scotland. Half of the projects awarded grants were for district heating.

  A total of £6.6 million was provided under the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme which preceded the Heat Scheme, and supported a number of district heating systems. Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) of £8.1 million has been provided to Tullis Russell towards a CHP biomass plant, and £10 million to UPM, also for a CHP biomass plant.

  Our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) also provides support to renewable district heating schemes and has already supported a number of projects, including Glenshellach Community District Heating Scheme in Oban.

  The Renewables Obligation (RO) is the main support mechanism for renewable electricity projects in the UK. With the introduction of banding in April 2009, eligible Biomass CHP plant, now receive two Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) for each megawatt hour of renewable electricity they provide to the grid.

Schools

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Futures Trust regarding shared-campus schools.

Fiona Hyslop: No discussions have taken place between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Futures Trust regarding shared-campus schools. Individual local authorities who are receiving support for a school project through the new £1.25 billion new school building programme, which is being managed by the Scottish Futures Trust, may have had, depending on their circumstances, such discussions.

Schools

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the commissioning date was for each (a) primary and (b) secondary school in Dumfries and Galloway that (i) has been completed since May 2007 and (ii) is currently being built.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not collect details regarding the commissioning of individual school projects. That is a matter for local authorities.

Schools

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 28 September 2009 identifying the first tranche of secondary schools selected for investment, when the next phase of its new school building programme will begin.

Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29359 on 26 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Scottish Government Funding

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been contacted by Glasgow City Council in relation to support for the Dance School of Scotland in 2010-11.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to meet Glasgow City Council to discuss support for the Dance School of Scotland in 2010-11.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has had no such contact. Government funding for the dance school was rolled into the local government settlement for 2008-11.

Smoking

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken in forensic mental health service units to support individuals who wish to give up smoking.

Shona Robison: NHS boards have a responsibility to ensure that all smokers who wish to give up smoking in forensic mental health service units have access to local smoking cessation services which provide required motivational support and should put in place arrangements for monitoring and evaluating success of their smoking cessation service. The Scottish Government does not hold centrally information on services provided in these types of units across Scotland.

  There are particular challenges in providing smoking cessation services in forensic mental health service units. The Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health, a partnership between ASH Scotland, NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government, launched in July this year, bespoke training for those providing smoking cessation services in mental health settings. In addition, the Scottish Government funded through ASH Scotland’s Tobacco and Inequalities Fund a project which established a stop-smoking service within The State Hospital. Although funding ended in 2007, the service has now been mainstreamed into general healthcare provision and continues to offer support to staff and patients alike.

St Andrew’s Day

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to increase recognition of St Andrew’s Day as a holiday in the (a) public and (b) private sector.

Michael Russell: As in previous years, the Scottish Government, along with other partners, are hosting St Andrew’s Day events across Scotland. There are over 40 events taking place, from the family focused St Andrew’s "Do" in the capital and Homecoming Live in Glasgow, to the Scots Traditional Music Awards in Dumfries and Ceòl Nam Fèis 2009 in Inverness – there is something for everyone to enjoy, with many of the events in the programme free. These events, the Homecoming Scotland Finale celebrations and many more events around the world, are creating the biggest ever St Andrew’s Day celebration. More details can be found at www.scotland.org/standrewsday .

St Andrew’s Day

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the recognition of St Andrew’s Day as a holiday in the (a) public and (b) private sector.

Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is committed to marking St Andrew’s Day as a national day. Like the Parliament and Angus Council, Scottish Government staff have been given St Andrew’s Day as a bank holiday.

  It is for individual employers to decide whether to take St Andrew’s Day as a holiday and we would encourage all employers to consider discussing this issue with their employees.

St Andrew’s Day

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive what public sector employers recognise St Andrew’s Day as a holiday.

Michael Russell: Alongside the Scottish Parliament and Angus Council, the Scottish Government and those agencies which make up its main bargaining unit give their employees St Andrew’s Day as a bank holiday. Angus, Renfrewshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders Councils have designated St Andrew’s Day as a school holiday. Also, many schools in the Western Isles area have opted to take St Andrew’s Day as one of their occasional holidays.

Teachers

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors how many teachers are retiring in each year in each local authority, the extent of pension enhancements offered and the associated costs and prospective liabilities.

Fiona Hyslop: Our teacher workforce modelling exercise monitors, through the annual teacher census, the overall number of teachers leaving and returning to the workforce, irrespective of whether they are retiring or leaving for another reason. The extent of pension enhancements offered and the associated costs and prospective liabilities are matters for individual local authorities.

Waste Management

Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to exercise the powers specified in section 78 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 to introduce regulations on planning for waste prevention and management.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government has taken powers, through the Climate Change Act, to make regulations to introduce new obligations for providing waste prevention and management plans, however there are no plans at the present time to do so.

  Scottish ministers have insisted, throughout the passage of the act, that they do not wish to regulate in the current circumstances and will do so only if voluntary efforts fail.